VOLUME 11 ISSUE 12
June 14-27, 2019 Follow us on social media! sdnews.com
City Council District 3 debate P. 14
Old Town • Mission Hills • Bankers Hill
Hillcrest • University Heights • Normal Heights • North Park • South Park • Golden Hill • Kensington • Talmadge
HISTORY P. 8
Paras Newsstand still standing
FOOD AND DRINK P.11
Corner Drafthouse’s menu delights
THEATER P.12
(Photos courtesy Scoop San Diego)
Ice cream festival comes to North Park JORDEN HALES | Uptown News
Diversionary’s ‘Significant Other’
BEST OF UPTOWN P. 15
Daniel Szpak loves his community and ice cream, perhaps in that order. A full-time registered nurse at San Diego State University hospital, Szpak has spent more than 15 years living in North Park and most of his life enjoying ice cream. On Sunday, June 23, he plans to bring the two passions together. Szpak co-founded Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream in 2014 and
2019
KENDRA SITTON | Uptown News
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“I’m super social,” Szpak said with a laugh. “[My husband] Chris and I joke about me sustaining myself by meeting up with friends and gathering groups of people together. “I don’t want this to be just, ‘here’s another beer or taco festival and then forget about it until next year.’ I want the relationships and the fundraising projects to stay relevant. North Park is my community. I’ve gotten a lot of support from it and made a lot of connections.” Those relationships were the
First annual Mission Hills banner art contest a success
Vote on this year’s winners!
Opinion
remained a managing partner until 2017. Now eyeing retirement but too busy to start another shop, he is working to create Southern California’s premier ice cream festival. The Scoop San Diego festival will feature more than 20 local ice cream and gelato shops on 30th Street in North Park. It’s the first event of its kind in San Diego County and Szpak plans to organize it annually.
The first annual Mission Hills banner art contest culminated on Wednesday, June 5, with a Color on Canvas Awards Reception. Inside The Frame Maker, art contestants, their families and community members gathered to view the top-scoring banners up close that were hanging from light poles throughout the city just weeks before. The contestants were tasked with painting an iconic place in Mission Hills on the large banners. While some chose the streets, landmarks, parks and houses that make up the
city, many children chose to feature some of the businesses that make up the city’s core. When the banners were hung up throughout the city, 14 judges visited each street and scored them. Those invited to judge were community leaders ranging from business owners to representatives from Councilmember Chris Ward’s office. “There was clearly a lot of enthusiasm — from the children, the judges, the parents. One of those things that everyone can get involved with,” said John Bertsch, the owner of see Mission Hills, pg 13
catalyst for the project, along with Szpak’s affinity for cold desserts. He noticed that young people tend to enjoy ice cream in vibrant, social settings. “It started in my childhood,” he recalls. “I really like the interaction. Everyone loves ice cream.” One hundred percent of the proceeds from the festival will be donated to East Village’s Monarch School, which educates homeless K-12 youth see Scoop, pg 17
Old Mission Hills Library to become housing for homeless? Residents fight proposal from Council member Ward, Mayor Faulconer KENDRA SITTON | Uptown News
Seven-year-old Ise Biezunski poses near her grand prize-winning banner. (Photo by Manny Biezunski)
The fight to add more housing to address the homelessness crisis across the city intensifies as Mission Hills locals oppose converting a vacant library into permanent supportive housing (PSH). Many came to a recent see Library, pg 9
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NEWS
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Changing the face of cafeteria cuisine
When you think of a school cafeteria, do extra-sloppy Joes and mystery meat come to mind? If so, you can stop cringing and start salivating, because San Diego Unified Food & Nutrition Services (SDUFNS) is changing the face of cafeteria cuisine. They have incorporated the regulations of the Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act, from the Michelle Obama Let’s Move! campaign, and added specific programs of their own to produce healthy, fresh, and local meals. With menu options like St. Louisstyle ribs, Baja fish tacos, mango berry salad, fresh salad bars, and build-your-own mac ‘n’ cheese, this district is upping their menu game.
of the more than 350 salad bars throughout the school district. Even when not from the county directly, SDUFNS endeavors to source its ingredients from California growers. “We want to do California food for California kids,” noted “Chef Bob” Brody, SDUFNS program specialist. The salad bars offer a rainbow of dark green, red orange, starchy vegetable, seasonal fruit, and legumes every day. Each Wednesday, the bars feature a seasonal produce option from farms specifically within this region. Placed on the plexiglass are “Your Famers” trading cards, explaining where the produce comes from. The cards display a picture of the farmer(s) themselves on the front, and interesting facts on the back, such as the farm’s size, tractors, and animals. Featured farms include Sage Mountain, Suzie’s Farm, Stehly Farms Organic, Sahu Subtropical, and Sunrise Farms.
Farm to school
Garden to café
You may have heard of farm to table, but that’s only for gourmet restaurants, right? Wrong. According to SDUFNS Director Gary Petill, San Diego County has the highest number of collective organic farms in the country. Those farms are huge suppliers
Some of the produce gets even closer than that — from schools’ own gardens. For the spaces that have been certified to allow it, student-grown produce is harvested and served in their cafeteria. During the last three months alone, the Garden to Café Schools
JOYELL NEVINS | Uptown News
[Editor’s note: Part two of a twopart series on school lunch programs. To read part one, “San Diego Unified program fights food insecurity” from Volume 11, Issue 9, visit bit. ly/2wRAELM]
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harvested 598 pounds of produce to be used for their respective salad bars. “The day the salad bar was stocked with the student-grown vegetables, you should have seen the kids’ plates,” exclaimed SDUFNS Superintendent Cindy Marten. “This is personalized and local seed to harvest.” Other ways students get involved are through nutrition education in the classrooms, virtual farm field trips, and the student recipe contest. For last year’s contest, 120 students throughout the district submitted plant-based recipes to be incorporated into the grab-and-go menu. The winner was “Ava’s Avocado Salad,” a California-style concoction featuring, you guessed it, avocados. For the 2019-2020 school year, staff are testing vegan recipes from the contest as well. The focus on local food extends beyond the salad bar. Bread comes from Guilano’s Bakery in Carson, the same bakery Five Guys uses, and dairy products are purchased from Hollandia Dairy in San Jacinto. A majority of the antibiotic, free-range chicken comes from Mary’s in Sanger. On Thursdays, cafeterias sponsor “California Thursdays,” where students can build a meal completely out of foods sourced from the state.
Pay the piper
How can SDUFNS afford this? In consumer grocery stores, organic produce and free-range meats are often significantly more expensive than the less healthy items. Plus, SDUFNS is budgeted under $5 a meal. But there are a couple of factors that help reduce the school’s cost. First, there is no middleman. SDUFNS works directly with the farmers when they can. They also purchase in bulk, sometimes ordering the farmer’s entire stock of an item. Just as places like Costco and Sam’s Club offers reduced prices for large amounts, so SDUFNS is able to get lower rates when they purchase enough food to cover their 150,000 meals a day. SDUFNS also saves money through its Love Food Not Waste program, ordering only enough of the items needed and not having to throw away excess food. Sauces such as dressings and salsas are often made in-house, reducing costs and preservatives. The homemade honey mustard is often referred to by the students as the “awesome sauce,” and their ranch is yogurt-based rather than buttermilk-based. Next year, the cafeterias plan to roll out avocado ranch as well. Although there are shared menus among the schools, each kitchen has input into what their particular kids eat in what the district office refers to as “boots on the ground.” School cafeteria staff have the ability to slightly morph
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their menus to cater to their students’ interests. “We are trying to decentralize the process,” SDUFNS Manager of Production and Acquisition Fred Espinosa explains. “When we give our people choice, they get more engaged.” Another way students and staff are given choice is through the “build your own” bars. Cafeterias can choose from five different menu options – ramen, sandwich, nacho, burger, and macaroni and cheese. The students are able to customize their entrees in separate kiosks from the straight buffet or grab-and-go line. “Build your own bars were started with the thought in mind that the kids want and like things done their way,” SDUFNS Supervisor Jennifer Ferback noted. “Being able to decide what toppings they want to use gives them a little bit of ownership and control over their lunch.”
Modernized cafeterias All of these programs would be harder to pull off if the production kitchens weren’t stocked with the proper equipment. When Espinosa came on board, he brought with him decades of restaurant experience. He and his team made sure products were from high-quality brands such as Heinz ketchup (the only ketchup worth having, he assures) and Del Monte canned see School lunch, pg 7
San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
NEWS
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Why don't California's renters have more political punch? MATT LEVIN | CALmatters
California tenants just scored a rare victory in the state Capitol — emphasis on the rare. A high-profile bill passed by the state Assembly would impose a “rent-gouging cap” on annual rent increases for the vast majority of renters. If approved by the state Senate and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, it would make California the second state to provide such protections. “I’m thrilled that the Assembly has taken one step forward to providing some relief to millions of tenants one rent increase away from losing their homes,” said Assemblyman David Chiu, Democrat from San Francisco and author of the bill. Tenant rights group can rightfully celebrate the vote as an achievement — mostly because of the near-herculean effort it took to get a renter bill this far. AB 1482 was significantly
watered down to accommodate reluctant lawmakers and appease opposing interest groups: The proposed rent cap was raised from 5% to 7% plus inflation, it exempts landlords who own less than 10 single family homes, and it would expire in 2023. And it still just squeaked by the Assembly. A twin bill that would have mandated landlords evict tenants only for “just cause” — which many argue is necessary for Chiu’s bill to be effective — failed to make it out of the same chamber. You’d expect California’s 17 million renters to have more juice. More than 40% of Californians are tenants, including 12 million of voting age — a major swath of the potential electorate. Rents have soared to alarming highs, causing more than half the state’s tenants to meet the federal definition of “housing-cost burdened.” In one of his first addresses in office, the state’s new progressive governor called on a Democratic
supermajority of state lawmakers to send him a package of tenant protection bill as soon as possible. And yet, legislation aimed at helping California’s renters almost always has struggled to get through the state Capitol. In early May, a bill that would have allowed California cities to expand rent control to more residences was withdrawn by its author when it became clear the bill couldn’t even muster enough support to pass its first committee hearing. A proposal that would have created a statewide rental database to reliably track evictions and prices — data that’s hard to come by for anyone but landlords — was quietly buried before it could advance to a full floor vote. “We have in California in both houses a supermajority of Democrats, many of whom will tell you that they’re concerned about the housing crisis,” said Brian Augusta, legislative
advocate for the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation and a lobbyist for tenant interests who has watched a handful of tenant protection bills die or get watered down in recent years. “And yet when we go to try to secure their vote for what seem like very reasonable policies, they’re not going up (to vote).” So why can’t tenant groups wield the political muscle you’d think their numbers would warrant? Money is the easy answer: Landlords have it, renters don’t. “We still have to have plausible arguments, and our arguments still have to resonate,” said Deb Carlton, lobbyist for the California Apartment Association. “A lot of these bills are extreme and they’re not willing to compromise on these issues.” But there’s more to it than that. California renters are more likely to be lower income, younger and immigrants—all
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demographic blocs less likely to vote Who’s your typical California renter? Picture a Latina woman in her early 40’s, making around $26,000 a year. There’s about a 1 in 3 chance that’s she’s foreign-born. Contrast that to your typical California homeowner — white, ten years older, making about $12,000 more a year. There’s about a 25% chance she was born in another country. Almost all of the demographic characteristics associated with homeownership — nativity, race and ethnicity, income level, age — make homeowners much more likely to vote than renters. And lawmakers are acutely aware of who votes and who doesn’t. “When you think about renters, you’re looking at a lower socioeconomic status, younger people, people who move more often. That’s all negatively correlated to turnout,” said Paul Mitchell, a political consultant with Political Data Inc, which provides voter roll services to state political campaigns. Despite comprising more than 40% of the population, renters make up only about 20% of registered California voters, according to data analyzed by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. Last November, tenant advocates hoped that a rent control initiative put on the ballot would gin up turnout from renters who finally had a clear and compelling economic interest to show up to the polls. Although precise data on the rental status of voters is hard to obtain, an analysis of voters identified as renters by Political Data Inc. shows that registered homeowners were still about 25% more likely to vote than registered renters. The rent control initiative lost by an overwhelming margin. It’s not just what’s associated with being a renter that depresses turnout. Just being a renter, itself, makes you less likely to vote.
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OPINION
Adult day care — the hidden gem in the search for Alzheimer’s care
Are you caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia and need a break? By LISA D. TYBURSKI
EDITOR Kendra Sitton 858-270-3103 x 136 kendra@sdnews.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jeff Clemetson x130 Tom Melville x131 Emily Blackwood x133 Dave Schwab x132 WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA Jeff Clemetson COPY EDITOR Dustin Lothspeich CONTRIBUTORS Albert H. Fulcher J. M. Garcia Dr. Ink Jean Lowerison Frank Sabatini Jr.
PRODUCTION MANAGER Chris Baker x107 chris@sdnews.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Francisco Tamayo x116 francisco@sdnews.com ADVERTISING CONSULTANT Mike Rosensteel (619) 865-2220 BUSINESS CONSULTANT David Mannis ACCOUNTING Heather Humble x120 accounting@sdnews.com PUBLISHER Julie Main x106 julie@sdnews.com
OPINIONS/LETTERS: San Diego Uptown News encourages letters to the editor and guest editorials. Please email submissions to kendra@sdnews.com and include your phone number and address for verification. We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity and accuracy. Letters and guest editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or staff. SUBMISSIONS/NEWS TIPS: Send press releases, tips, photos or story ideas to kendra@sdnews.com For breaking news and investigative story ideas contact the editor by phone or email. PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS: You may read all of our newspapers online for free at sdcnn.com. You may sign up for our weekly newsletter for free at sdcnn.com where we will email you a link of our digital edition upon publication of our newspaper. We also make our newspapers available in hundreds of locations throughout the communities we serve. If you would like a hard copy of your community newspaper mailed to you first class by USPS you may pay by credit card or check. Subscription rates are $1.55 per copy. Mailed copies are mailed the day of publication by first-class mailed by USPS. 12 issues - $18.60 or 26 issues - $40.30
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If you are caring for a loved one with dementia, you know all too well that the demands can be overwhelming. You are doing your best, but you are tired, frustrated and behind on other responsibilities in your life causing you great stress. If this stress is left untreated, it can take a significant toll on your health, your relationships and your state of mind, eventually leading to “caregiver burnout.” Caregiver burnout is real and can be very dangerous. When you are experiencing it, it is difficult to do anything, let alone care for someone else. The stress from caring for someone with Alzheimer’s can be particularly damaging since it is typically a chronic, long-term challenge. You may face years, or even decades, of caregiving responsibilities. It can be even more discouraging when there’s no hope that your family member will get better. Without adequate help and support, you may become vulnerable to a wide range of physical and emotional problems, ranging from heart disease to depression. Other signs and symptoms of caregiver burnout include anxiety, depression, irritability and trouble concentrating. Feeling tired and run down, difficulty sleeping and overreacting to minor situations are other common symptoms. Learning to recognize the signs of caregiver stress and burnout is the first step to dealing with this problem. Once you have recognized the symptoms of caregiver burnout and you realize that full-time caregiving is no longer a healthy option for you or your loved one, it is time to seek help. Remember,
you won't be able to care for someone else if you don't take care of yourself. Seeking respite care is vital! The professional care choices, however, can be equally overwhelming and often, families do not know where to start. They may entertain hiring care inside their home or placing their loved one in an expensive residential community. Those services can be excellent for some, but what if you are not ready for either? You want to keep your loved one living at home, but you just need a break! Are there any other options? There is another option that is unfortunately often overlooked, yet it provides an extremely helpful and affordable solution. Perhaps it is time to consider an adult day program. Adult day care programs offer your loved one a change of pace and a place to go during the day where they will be safe and supervised by professionally trained care staff. Your loved one will have an
Adults enrolled in day care socialize with each other (Photos courtesy George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers, Inc.)
opportunity to socialize and participate in activities that keep them active and engaged. Enrolling your loved one in an adult day program can also help to decrease the risk of dangerous falls and wandering and can reduce the incidence of hospitalizations and readmissions. The George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers, Inc. is one such day program and offers a dementia-specific program. With its first center nestled right here in the heart of Hillcrest and fondly called “The Little Blue House,” the George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers, Inc. is a hidden gem in San Diego. Founded by Joy Glenner and the late Dr. George G. Glenner, the famous researcher and physician who discovered the link between the beta-amyloid protein and Alzheimer’s, this center offers respite for distraught caregivers. A day program allows your loved one to continue to live at home while still receiving the expert care and socialization they need during the daytime hours. It simultaneously allows you, as the caregiver, to get the break that is essential for your own health. — Lisa D. Tyburski is the chief marketing officer for the George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers. The Hillcrest Glenner Center is located on the corner of 4th Avenue and Pennsylvania and is open Monday- Friday, 8:45 a.m.-5:15 p.m. As a local nonprofit organization, the Glenner Center’s mission is to provide affordable and accessible adult day care and their full day rate is less than $12 per hour for hands on, expert care with supervision by a registered nurse. They accept long-term care insurance and veteran’s benefits as well.v
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"The Little Blue House" in Hillcrest
Letters to the editor
LA JOLLA
Thank you for the excellent articles in the May 31-June 13 issue of the Uptown News — especially the ones dealing with San Diego’s CAP (climate action plan) goals. Your paper is outstanding! All of the disjointed ideas from Sophie Wolfram (director of programs at Climate Action Campaign), such as improving sidewalks and crosswalks to make walking more viable; adding clunky (UNUSED!) bike lanes on already narrow, much-used city streets — are ludicrous! Wolfram says we need to “wean people from their emission-belching autos.” She and Mayor Faulconer and SANDAG want 50% of commuters to take mass transit, 18% bikes, and 7% walking by 2035. The first step towards this goal
should be: Mayor Faulconer, the entire City Council, staff, all county and city employees, all SANDAG workers, and especially Ms. Wolfram — must get rid of their cars today — to inspire the city to action. They must take mass transportation everywhere or bicycle to and from work, as well as for medical appointments, social calls, etc. Ubers will not be allowed as they “belch emissions.” If these esteemed city officials are unwilling to commit to this, why should we? So, before Ms. Wolfram lectures further on the “health, safety and survival of future generations,” let her lead the way in her personal life. Currently, our family rarely observes even one person riding in the bike lanes
around town. We also see very few on buses. Our bus system is poor at best and SD was built to serve the automobiles — thus, the freeways. No “strong political” will can change this. No one will ride two buses to get to work when it’s a 15-minute drive. —
Phyllis Hordin, Normal Heights
P.S. I’m sure our city leaders will agree with me that we should also forbid tourists to drive in San Diego — those rental cars belch too many emissions to be allowed. They will be content, I’m sure, to use our mass transportation or the many rentable bicycles and scooters to get around. Why should “outsiders” pollute our city with their autos?v
San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
POLITICS|HEALTH
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Congress must codify Roe v. Wade into law District 53 Dispatch Susan A. Davis Women’s health care is under assault like we’ve never seen before. States around the country are racing to enact bans on abortion, which will do nothing more than put women’s lives at risk. So far, eight states have enacted bans. Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, and Ohio have been described as passing bills that fall short of an outright ban. These so-called heartbeat bills prohibit abortions after six to eight weeks. Since most women don’t realize they are pregnant until around 15 or 16 weeks, the laws in these states are outright bans. The most extreme laws are coming out of Missouri and Alabama, where there are punitive measures included with their bans. Alabama would jail a doctor for performing the procedure for 99 years. Missouri would subject women who seek an abortion to prison for up to five years. This law is not about preserving life, it’s about punishing women.
It’s also difficult to believe these laws are about protecting life when many states with restrictive abortion laws also have some of the highest rates of infant mortality. Where’s the legislation to bring down these rates? The supporters of these bills are clear in their objective: to repeal Roe v. Wade. It’s time to settle this issue once and for all. Congress must pass the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) to codify the Roe v. Wade decision into law. I joined in introducing this legislation in May. The WPHA is straightforward. It simply prohibits states from imposing the limits and restrictions being put on women. Existing restrictions in some states require women to drive miles to visit a clinic, incurring travel expenses and having to miss work. No one is pro-abortion. It’s an incredibly difficult decision for a woman to make. If abortion opponents want to really reduce the number of abortions, I invite them to join us in making child care more affordable. Seventy-five percent of women seeking an abortion are economically disadvantaged. Financial constraints are regularly cited in a decision to end
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a pregnancy. We need to help working families afford child care. The Child Care for Working Families Act would do just that by creating a federal/state partnership to provide high-quality, affordable child care from birth to the age of 13. It would more than double the number of children eligible for child care assistance. The Child Care for Working Families Act would also have a positive economic impact, creating 770,000 new child care jobs. This new workforce of child caregivers will allow 1.6 million parents, primarily mothers, to go back to work. It would also lift 1 million families out of poverty. Another way we can help hardworking Americans with family-related costs is to pass the FAMILY Act. Taking time off work to care for a sick child or loved one can create an economic hardship. It’s time we provide paid leave for families who find themselves in this unfortunate situation. These are proven policies that help bring down abortion rates. Bans don’t end abortions, they just make them less safe, putting women’s lives at risk. A recent study by the Guttmacher Institute found that
countries with the most restrictive abortion laws have the highest rates of abortions. Some states are recognizing this and moving in the opposite direction. In Nevada, where women are a majority of the state’s legislature, legislation has been passed to reduce restrictions. Nevada is ending requirements mandating doctors to explain the emotional and physical implications of having an abortion. Nevada is also ending the more ridiculous provision requiring doctors to inquire about a woman’s marital status. Illinois is also looking to reduce restrictions. Congress needs to follow the lead of states like our own state of California as well as Nevada that understand a decision to get an abortion is best left to a woman and her doctor. Let’s pass the Women’s Health Protection Act now. — Congresswoman Davis represents central San Diego, including the communities of Old Town, Kensington, Mission Hills, University Heights, Hillcrest Bankers Hill, North Park, South Park, Talmadge, Normal Heights, as well as La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley and parts of El Cajon and Chula Vista.v
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FROM PAGE 3
SCHOOL LUNCH vegetables. He also helped production kitchens acquire restaurant-level equipment like industrial blenders, industrial mandolines, and Rational self-cleaning ovens. The oven cooks with steam and heat rather than dry heat only. It can also be programmed to do overnight roasting, and is furnished with a computer probe to ensure meats are cooked properly. “Our number one priority is food safety,” Espinosa said. SDUFNS cafeterias also use the YumYummi app, which breaks down individual menus and allows parents to pay ahead of time. Parents and students can also leave feedback and comments about foods they like or didn’t like.
Global accolades The district has been getting recognition from local, national, and global entities for its efforts. Feeding San Diego CEO Vince Hall, who partners with SDUFNS for Love Food Not Waste, called the district the “mothership” for undergoing so many health and food initiatives simultaneously. Japan’s assistant secretary of the interior came with a governmental group to tour the cafeteria operations. They are looking see School lunch, pg 12
8
San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
HISTORY
sdnews.com
Read all about everything at longstanding Paras Newsstand The recent closing of some of North Park's most venerable businesses like Pekin Cafe and Paesano Italian Restaurant should increase our appreciation for those who a re still standing strong. Paras Newsstand, at 3911 30th St., has provided a dizzying selection of magazines, newspapers, paper goods and other convenience items since the early 1950s. The store occupies the northwest corner of a large brick and concrete building constructed in 1928 for the United Realty Company. The building permit covered 11 stores extending from 3002 to 3020 University Ave. Owl Drug Company took much of the space, opening in February 1929 and remaining until after World War II. Joseph Jessop & Sons Jewelers next occupied that corner through the 1950s.
to pronounce. George was the proprietor of a confectionary store in Chicago in the 1930s and listed his employment on his World War II draft registration card in 1942 as "Self employed, Newsstand" in Chicago. Chris — the eldest of three sons — was born in 1923. He served in the Navy as a Machinist Mate on the aircraft carrier Intrepid during World War II, participating in many harrowing battles in the Pacific. By the mid-1940s, the family had all come to California. They initially lived in Escondido and later La Mesa, but in 1959 they were listed in the City Directory at 3930 Kansas St., just one block west of Paras Newsstand. While Chris operated the North Park store, middle brother Stratie, born in 1928, ran the Paras Shop in Ocean Beach from 1952 to 1995. There was a third Paras store in La Mesa for many years. Youngest brother William, born in 1929, also clerked in the stores. Chris sold the North Park
Kent Snyder (left) and Rocky Attallah welcome customers to Paras Newsstand, circa 2004. (Photo courtesy of Kent Snyder) The space fronting 30th Street long held by Pa ras Newssta nd sta r ted as the Basham Beauty Shoppe in 1930 and was Melody Beauty Shop later in the 1930s. During the 1940s, the space was alternately a beauty shop, gift store and vacant. In 1950, the City Directory listed 3911 30th St. as a cigar store operated by Frank L. Hill; it was listed as Baker's Cigar and Newsstand in 1952. In 1953, Chris Paras bought the store, adding magazines and paperback books to the merchandise offered. By 1980, magazines constituted 80% of his business. In a 1980 interview for the San Diego Union, Paras said he started his business with just $5,000 and felt it was better than some work he could have gotten into. Paras came from a family of hard-working store owners. In 1903, his father George came from Greece to the U.S. through Ellis Island, where his last name was changed from Paraskas to "Paras" to be shorter and easier
business to Rocky and Mike Attallah in 1987 and enjoyed retirement until passing away in 2010. Ken and Ann Gabbara, the current owners, bought the store from the Attallah brothers in 2007. All have maintained the Paras name and historical
Chris Paras mans the counter of his store in 1982. (Photo by Dan Robbins, courtesy of Olga Paras and Omar Altman)
commitment to neighborhood service. The Sa n D iego Un ionTribune's Nov. 5, 1994 issue featured a prof ile of North Park's Paras Newsstand by reporter Bob Rowland, who proclaimed the store to be a "world of its own." He interviewed Kent Snyder, who had started working at the store for Chris Paras in 1986 and still works there today. When asked who shops at Paras, Snyder replied, "Hard to say — everybody, I guess." And in answer to the follow-up question — what are they looking for — he said, "Just about everything." Paras Newsstand is the only retail store in North Park's commercial core to stock the definitive history of North Park's first 50 years, "North Park: A San Diego Urban Village, 1896-1946" by the late Donald Covington. Although Paras Newsstand started just after that book ended, the store continues to be an important part of North Park's history and future. — Katherine Hon is the secretary of the North Park Historical Society. Reach her at info@northparkhistory.org or 619-294-8990.v
Ken and Ann Gabbara have owned and operated Paras Newsstand since 2007. Ann has added pretty jewelry, knickknacks, gifts, souvenirs, candles and convenient snacks to the vast array of items offered for store customers. (Photo courtesy of Ann Gabbara)
FROM PAGE 1
LIBRARY community meeting on May 28 with Council member Chris Ward co-hosted by Mission Hills Business Improvement District and Mission Hills Town Council to learn more about the proposal, ask questions, and voice their opinions on the matter. The proposal is to convert the 0.189-acre lot of the former Mission Hills Library into 28 units of PSH for chronically homeless individuals. In January, Ward sent a memo to Mayor Kevin Faulconer requesting redevelopment of the site that retained ground floor commercial use, kept the historic midcentury modern façade and included parking spaces for firefighters at Fire Station 8. The site was then included in the mayor’s proposal on May 7 to turn eight sites citywide into PSH, which also offered up sites in City Heights, southeastern San Diego, Linda Vista, Serra Mesa and Miramar. Permanent supportive housing is subsidized for people who have been homeless long-term and also includes more robust services than affordable housing. Individuals in PSH may be assigned a social worker and have access to a nutritionist and medical care. These wraparound services are meant to keep chronically homeless people from winding up back on the streets. “We’re not talking about building homeless shelters. We’re talking about building homes for San Diegans who have been crushed by this economy,” Stephen Russell, executive director of San Diego Housing Federation, said at the community meeting. He described shelters as a temporary fix that still leaves 5,000 people on the streets each night. “That [a shelter] is the last place we want a homeless person to live. A shelter is an emergency place to live,” Russell said. One point the opposition made to the proposed PSH is that the site is worth millions of dollars. The library, which has been replaced by the new Mission HillsHillcrest/Knox Library, sits at 925 W. Washington St. and is at the entryway of Mission Hills. They argue the profits from selling it could be used to buy a different, larger parcel where even more units could be built. “That site is worth at least $3 million according to the neighboring site’s sale. It has the opportunity for ocean views that many of us can’t afford, including myself, so I don’t feel it’s fair to pay for someone else’s ocean view,” Curtis Patterson said at the community meeting. “If we want a site in Mission Hills, let’s find a site that doesn’t have the same benefits that that one does and house 50 or more for the same price.” There is no guarantee another site would not face the same opposition and one of the reasons Ward is championing this solution is
San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
NEWS
sdnews.com
Council member Chris Ward speaks to reporters about the proposed housing at the site of the former Mission Hills Library. (Photo by Helen Rowe Allen) because using public property means the development will happen faster as the city scrambles to react to a crisis that is already well underway. “Stepping outside of Mission Hills, the concept is good. I’ve been asking for us to use city
land smarter because we can actually get units created at a far more cost-effective rate to be able to support the provision of additional housing opportunities and truly help solve some people’s homelessness,” Ward said to a room that was overflowing
onto the patio and entrance of the library meeting room as residents came to voice their opinions on the proposal. During the meeting, some residents were also angered by Ward who appeared to distance himself from the proposal by referring to it as the “mayor’s plan.” Ward was behind an October resolution that was unanimously approved by the City Council to add 140 units of PSH in each City Council district by 2021. The mayor then requested each council member provide recommendations about which sites should be converted into PSH in their districts. Ward responded in November with a list of sites in District 3 that could be explored for PSH use, which included the old Mission Hills Library. In January, he sent another memo to the mayor that included community input on what should happen at the site, based in part on the results of a survey Ward’s office conducted. In that 2018 survey, 26% of respondents wanted businesses to be built in the lot if the building was demolished while 18% supported mixed-use development that included affordable housing with businesses on the ground level.
9
“A recent proposal from the mayor that is part of the broader citywide proposal to look at permanent supportive housing opportunities that runs in conflict with former conversations we had initiated with you and many of our community groups about what you wanted to see as part of the old Mission Hills Library,” Ward said at the community meeting. A few organizations have backed the plan, including Rise Up Town which released a statement rebuking those opposed to the plan, saying: “This supportive housing plan has evoked outrage in some corners, from people who believe that their communities do not have to be part of providing a solution. These angry voices demand that others should bear the burden of this task. This line of thinking continues to be a roadblock to progress towards effective solutions. If we keep insisting such issues are for others to solve, the issues will continue to manifest here and everywhere.” Their statement seemed to be in response to a common sentiment shared at the meeting that affordable housing should be built see Library, pg 19
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San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill celebrates its 10th anniversary with a special three-course dinner presented in part by two original staffers: Former executive chef Joe Magnanelli (now chef-partner with Brian Malarkey’s upcoming Animae), and former wine director-general manager Ben Kephart (currently director of operations at Ojai Valley Inn).
Esteemed San Diego chef Rich Sweeney has joined Tocaya Organica. (Facebook)
Former “Top Chef” contestant Rich Sweeney has taken
FOOD AND DRINK
sdnews.com A wide range of cuisine is in the offing during the return of “Food Truck Fridays” at the El Prado walkway in Balboa Park. The event, now in its fourth year, runs from 4 to 8:30 p.m. every Friday through Sept. 27. It features about a dozen different food trucks each week as well as live entertainment. Trucks scheduled for June 21 include Eat Your Heart Out, Currywurst Frankfurt, Born
in Brooklyn and the Pierogi Truck. The series is presented by the Balboa Park Conservancy and the city of San Diego’s Parks and Recreation Department. Free round-trip shuttle service is provided until 8 p.m. from the Inspiration Point parking lot, located at the corner of Park Bouvelard and President’s Way. Plaza de Panama/El Prado, 619-3311920, balboaparkconservancy.org.
The long-shuttered Al Reef Mediterranean Restaurant at the corner of University Avenue and Utah Street has sprung back to life as Two Blu Ducks, a breakfast-lunch spot that operates from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily.
Owned by restaurateur Djani Ivanov of The Hopping Pig in the Gaslamp Quarter, the commodious 3,500-square-foot restaurant is still in its soft opening with portions of the menu still in development, we’re told. 2835 University Ave.
A Bankers Hill hot spot celebrates 10 years in business. (H2 Public Relations) They will be joined by Cucina’s newest executive chef, Tim Kolanko, and beverage director Augusto Ferrarese. The family-style dinner will be held at 6 p.m. June 24. The cost is $55 per person with optional wine pairings that can be
purchased a la carte from a selection of about 10 labels specially chosen for the occasion. In addition, an after-party will be held from 8:30 to 10 p.m., featuring a mini “Cucina 10” menu. 505 Laurel St., 619-239-2222, cucinaurbana.com.
on the role of area culinary directory for Los Angeles-based Tocaya Organica, a popular health-conscious eatery with locations in the Gaslamp Quarter (755 Fifth Ave.), UTC in La Jolla (4301 La Jolla Village Drive), and another opening this summer at One Paseo in Carmel Valley. Sweeney, who is also known for the comfort fare he dished up when operating the former R Gang Eatery in Hillcrest for five years, most recently served as executive chef for North Italia in Fashion Valley Mall. Before that he helmed the kitchens
at Waypoint Public in North Park and the former Florent Restaurant & Lounge in the Gaslamp. “I’ll be doing quality control and training-development for locations in San Diego and Arizona,” Sweeney told us, adding that he is fond of Tocaya’s culinary concept. “The entire menu starts out vegan, and then if you’re a meat eater, you can add meat and cheese to the dishes. We buy just about everything we can organic. And the environments are cool and welcoming — not hoity.” tocayaorganica.com.
The much-anticipated Sisters Pizza opened June 3 in Bankers Hill.
(Courtesy
photo)
After about 18 months in the making, Sisters Pizza is up and running in a charming 1930s-era building in Bankers Hill. The newly opened pizzeria, which specializes in a range of other Italian-comfort food such as chicken or eggplant Parmesan, spaghetti with house-made meatballs and hearty submarine sandwiches, occupies a quiet corner at Fourth and Brookes. It greets with an expansive patio and a cozy interior with midcentury touches. Owner Emily Green Lake is a former literacy teacher who became motivated to open the restaurant after the unexpected passing of her sister, Kate Green.
A mondo club sandwich at The Modern Vegan (Courtesy photo) An all-vegan menu featuring more than 200 food and beverage items awaits at The Modern Vegan in North Park, which opened June 8 in a new mixed-use complex on 30th Street. The restaurant marks the second location by owners
“I always wanted to run my own restaurant, and my sister and I were big pizza lovers,” she said. Helming the kitchen is Long Island transplant Marc Damiano, who previously worked at Mr. Moto Pizza House and Surf Rider Pizza. On any given day there are nine specialty pizzas available by the slice. The pies are also sold in 16-, 18- and 20-inch sizes, in addition to a 14-inch gluten-free option. Sisters Pizza is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays is expected to begin in July. 3643 Fourth Ave., 619-255-4200, sisterspizzasd.com. Todd and Gia Schultz, who opened the original Modern Vegan last year in Las Vegas. The dual-residency couple say the menus are the same at both locations, a compendium of “all-American comfort favorites” that include loaded nachos, Louisiana fried “chicken” and “lobster” rolls. There are also shakes, smoothies and organic juices and sodas. A full liquor license is in the pipeline. 4332 30th St., 619-310-5712, tmvrestaurants.com — Frank Sabatini Jr. is the author of ‘Secret San Diego’ (ECW Press) and began his local writing career more than two decades ago as a staffer for the former San Diego Tribune. You can reach him at fsabatini@san.rr.com.v
San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
FOOD AND DRINK
sdnews.com
A sudsy lunch with a touch of brunch Restaurant Review Frank Sabatini Jr. If there is one commonality between Bankers Hill and North Park, it’s that the former embraces a serious beer bar. The Corner Drafthouse, which sits at the prime intersection of Fifth Avenue and Laurel Street, rivals North Park’s most popular watering holes in terms of the number of craft drafts it offers — more than what you’ll find at Toronado, Waypoint Public, Beerfish and the like. With 70 taps in all, beer aficionados can loll over brews in
an urban setting that feels less rambunctious and a little more gentrified in comparison. This isn’t to suggest the place is stuffy. It isn’t. But if you’re traversing between Downtown, Hillcrest and the airport while hankering for a creamy stout on nitro, and perhaps a flamebroiled burger or blackened mahi sandwich in a smartly designed space, The Corner Drafthouse has you conveniently covered. The L-shaped layout features a large bar, multiple indoor-outdoor seating areas, natural textures and windows that look out to these tidy streets. Yes, there is Edison-style lighting, but it doesn’t send the design into a
The house cheeseburger and fries
generic abyss. In a visit shortly after the establishment opened three years ago, I drank a lot and ate a little. House-made beer cheese served with pretzel bites, I recall, proved a delicious stabilizer to my enthusiastic beer intake. This time around, a friend and I delved into both the lunch and brunch menus on a Sunday afternoon, and washed down our chow with a customized beer flight. Guests can choose as many 4-ounce tasters as they prefer from the entire beer selection, which hails 100% from California breweries. They cost $3 apiece. We chose four. Among them was a stunning blonde coffee stout by North Brewing Company. We would have never guessed from its light-gold color that the alluring flavor of coffee, as though milk and a touch of sugar were mixed in, would be so evident. A dark porter on nitro, also by North Brewing, was semi-bitter and less creamy while a couple of blonde ales by Latitude 33 and Harland breweries were the kind of light and refreshing beers you could drink all day at a pool party. Executive chef Ruben Zamarripa oversees lunch, brunch and dinner menus featuring dishes that are a few cuts
above the food you’d find at a corner bar. It more resembles the fare seen at modern gastropubs. For example, he does wonders with chicken drumettes by frenching the meat so that the exposed bone in each serves as a petite handle—thus the name “chicken lollipops.” We chose Buffalo-style sauce, which met my native Buffalo, New York standards, as did the robust house-made bleu cheese dipping sauce served alongside. A hefty Reuben sandwich on marble rye sourced from locally based St. Tropez Baking & Beyond came with an appealing twist. Zamarripa gives the house-roasted corned beef a faint brown-sugar glaze, which results in a hint of sweetness that plays into the sauerkraut and Thousand Island-type sauce inside the sandwich. A few different flame-broiled burgers are in the offing. We chose the basic “Drafthouse” burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, raw onions and “secret sauce.” It completely sated the burger craving I had for weeks. As for the french fries that came with it, we became quickly obsessed. The medium-cut spuds receive a light dusting of corn starch, which imparts a thin veneer of crispiness that doesn’t fade even after the fries cool down. For dipping, we asked
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The Corner Drafthouse 495 Laurel St. (Bankers Hill) 619-255-2631, thecornerdrafthouse.com Lunch prices: Starters and salads, $10 to $16; sandwiches and burgers, $14.50 to $18 for a side of house-made ranch dressing, which was excellent. As if our meal couldn’t get any naughtier, we turned to the brunch menu that was still in effect and ordered the chef’s latest creation for dessert — bananas Foster French toast. Beer suddenly becomes a footnote in the face of puffy egg-battered bread slices drenched in buttery bacon-rum syrup and topped with candied pecans and whipped cream. It was as though a sugar angel descended on our table and said, “Put down the beer and come with me.” We basically did while forgetting for a moment that we were in one of Uptown’s finest tap houses. — Frank Sabatini Jr. is the author of ‘Secret San Diego’ (ECW Press) and began his local writing career more than two decades ago as a staffer for the former San Diego Tribune. Reach him at fsabatini@san.rr.com.v
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San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
The book is long…
THEATER
sdnews.com
…and the ending has not been written girlfriends Vanessa (Andréa Agosto), Kiki (Jamie Criss), and his bestie for life Laura (Megan Carmitchel), Jordan is on the sequential quest for finding his very own soul mate as his friends, one by one, began dating, marrying and having children. Jordan is an energetic emotional wreck as he watches his life slipping past him while others are fulfilling his lifelong dream of love, marriage and children. What follows is a hysterical look at the life, emotions,
ALBERT FULCHER | Gay San Diego
Diversionary Theatre is wrapping it up its 33rd season with a marvelous uproarious “unromantic” comedy “Significant Other” that illustrates that love is an elusive reverie for some in the world. Looking for romance is center stage in this production as Jordan (Tom Zohar) seeks his “matching half of a human whole” as in Aristophanes, Plato’s “Symposium.” Filled with love from his best
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and drama between friends and lovers as Jordan wonders if he’ll ever find the Mr. Right in his life. This message is a driving force as he goes through a barrage of bachelorette parties, baby showers, weddings as he tries to navigate his own way through his unstable single life. Playwright Joshua Harmon is a master of words in the play bringing an age-old theme into a bright limelight with his witty writing and comedic timing. There is never a dull moment and when you least expect it, there are some hidden treasures of heartening insight scattered throughout the play. And this entire cast got it, portrayed it and delivered it with an outstanding performance from
the first line to the last. Simply a deliriously entertaining play that makes you laugh, tugs at your heart and gives hope that love is waiting out there for everyone. Casting for this play was spot on. Zohar ruled the stage with his emotional delivery, whether showing love for his friends, discourse with their impeding future, visiting is superiorly wise grandmother (Dagmar Krause Fields), fielding potential mates for his girlfriends and looking for love for himself. And the rest of the cast followed the same course. Bryan Banville and Wil Bethmann did a superb job in multiple roles as friends, husbands and dates, never leaving you wonder what character was on stage at the moment.
FROM PAGE 7
cost-efficient method possible. “We are nourishing minds and bodies,” Marten declared. “We want to do it well, and we want to do it right.” Production kitchens, such as the one at Pershing Middle School, are available for kitchen tours by appointment. To set up a tour, view all school menus and resources, or learn
‘Significant Other’ Runs through June 23 Diversionary Theatre 4545 Park Blvd. #101 Diversionary.org 619-220-0097
Although sometimes outrageous, the friendships are relatable and feel real. They make this play a safe place to get lost in a story, and this is a rare thing to witness. — Albert Fulcher is the editor of Gay San Diego. He can be reached at albert@sdcnn.com.v
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to incorporate many of SDUFNS’s initiatives in their own public education facilities. SDUFNS isn’t resting yet. They continue to seek ways to feed kids throughout the year in the most healthy and
more about the “Summer Fun Café,” visit sandiegounified. org/food or follow @sdfarmtoschool on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. —Freelance writer Joyell Nevins can be reached at joyellc@gmail. com. You can also follow her blog Small World, Big God at swbgblog. wordpress.com.v
FROM PAGE 1
MISSION HILLS Meshuggah Shack, who served as a judge. The old sign in front of his coffee shop which reads “everyone is welcome” was included in several banners. “I’ve got a neighborhood-oriented business. Meshuggah Shack has come to symbolize for a lot of people the values of our community,” Bertsch said. “I feel like I’m part of the community and the children have cemented it for me.” The awards event was catered with donations from the Cake Bakery, Lazy Acres, Pizza e Birra and Thorn Street Brewery, which was indicative of the widespread community support the entire program received. Although the banner contest was planned by the Mission Hills Business Improvement District (BID), a variety of community players came together to get the banners off the ground, literally. The initial contest was funded with help from grants from both the county and city of San Diego, as well The Patio Group, Grant K8 School, Paint Box Art Studio and The Moll Family. Many of the art contestants were enrolled at Paint Box Art Studio under Jaimee Brant or took part in classroom projects under the tutelage of Grant K8 School art teacher Sarah Ekedal. “Places where people can go see the art and kids can feel proud about the art — parents are willing to get on board with something — it’s a big piece of art. In some cases, they are willing to pay for more classes, or take it home and work on
it from home, or get the background ideas ready because they want that opportunity for their child,” Brant explained. The art being displayed around the city was an important reason many families got involved. Many kids went to take pictures with the banners on the first day they were hung up. “It was really beautiful. They [the students] made all the decisions. They came up with all their own ideas. I felt like I learned more about the kids than I ever have. We had discussions. We had collaborative work with literally two banners for 30 kids,” Ekedal said. With two banners per class, her students created a total of 42 of the banners. “They were so excited.” While many of the banners were created with Ekedal and Brant’s support, a few children submitted independent pieces. The second-place winner for the sixth-eighth grade category, Hannah Marcano, hung the banner from her bedroom door in her family’s apartment to work on it. “I feel happy to be able to share my artwork with the community and I feel really special to have been a part of this project. I think it’s really cool how we were able to come together to create artwork,” 13-year-old Marcano said. The initial idea for the banner art contest was proposed by Audrey Patterson, whose mother-in-law has run a similar program in Placerville for the past 20 years. That contest usually features adult artists. While Mission Hills’ version of the event was initially planned to include all ages, it naturally evolved to be for children. Prizes
Eleven-year-old Ava Patri was a first-place winner in the sixth-eighth grade category. Here she poses with Mission Hills Nursery owner Toni Palafox. (Photo courtesy Jaimee Brant)
San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
FEATURES
sdnews.com
were awarded to kids and classrooms in the TK-second, threefifth grade and sixth-eighth grade categories. “Mission Hills is a really small-knit community. Our business district always does a really good job of featuring different kinds of banners. So I just thought if we have an opportunity to have a new banner program, this one would fit perfectly. Originally, we thought it would be adult artists but it turned into something so perfect for us,” Patterson said. Patterson, alongside her husband Curtis, also created a grand prize in honor of their mother’s longtime work in Placerville. The $500 Marianne Kalem Legacy Award Grand Prize from Patterson Engineering, Inc. was given to 7-year-old Ise Biezunski. She painted her banner with records overlaying a pink background with M-Theory Music’s logo. “I like that there’s a lot of people, there’s a lot of banners,” Biezunski said during the awards reception. “I love music.” The records featu re her and her dad’s favorite artists, including David Bowie and Queen. He has shopped at the Mission Hills music store before and his daughter chose to paint the store in his honor. Since pink is her mom’s favorite color, that became the background.
13
The first group of judges headed out to view the banners. (Photo courtesy Mission Hills BID)
The organizers hope to make the contest an annual event. “I just can’t wait to do it again and I want the banners to be up for longer. We got such good feedback from the community about how impressed they were with all the children’s
artwork, how touched they were to see that this is from our community,” Patterson said. “This is our community and it makes me really proud to live here.” — Kendra Sitton can be reached at kendra@sdnews.com.v
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San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
POLITICS
sdnews.com
Uptown Democratic Club makes District 3 endorsement Club voted to support longtime member Stephen Whitburn’s bid to replace Chris Ward KENDRA SITTON | Uptown News
The four Democrats vying to replace Chris Ward in City Council District 3 descended on the latest Uptown Democratic Club on May 28 to share their vision for the city. Two of them,
Adrian Kwiatkowski and Stephen Whitburn, had already faced each other in 2008 while running for the same seat. However, they both lost to Todd Gloria. The other two are first-time candidates: Toni Duran and Chris Olsen.
After hearing each of their pitches and answers to five questions, more than 60% of the 30 or so club members decided to endorse Whitburn in the first round of voting. He already has endorsements from several prominent San Diego
politicians and groups, including state Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and retired City Council member John Hartley. This latest endorsement shores up his position as frontrunner in the race with the most backing and support from traditional
party mechanisms (in turn, this creates three underdogs which Americans tend to romanticize, so the race is far from over). The following are Uptown News’ analysis of the four candidates a year before the actual vote.v
Toni Duran
Adrian Kwiatkowski
Chris Olsen
Stephen Whitburn
AKA Regular Joe Jane
AKA Mega-Mayor Maker
AKA Policy Pro
AKA Chronic Candidate
Top issues: Police reform, fixing infrastructure, homelessness crisis
Top issues: Instead of going into depth on policies he endorses, Kwiatkowski focused on his track record, which involves successful implementation of a clean needle exchange, veterans housing, and smoke-free beaches and parks.
Standout quote: “We have to really relook at all of this [adding housing] if we really do want to do something about our homelessness crisis, if we really want to do something about making sure people can live in the neighborhoods they want to live in. I wanted to live here in District 3. It took a lot to live here, thanks to my family.” Interesting proposal: Increasing police pay so officers can live in and commit to the neighborhood they serve. Toni Duran described herself as a real person running to solve real problems in her grassroots, first-time campaign. As she runs against three other white men, Duran pointed out she is the only queer woman of color running in a district that is growing more diverse. She promised to take compassionate action if elected. While she pitched herself as being one of the people, her current role is in the office of the most powerful woman in the state Assembly — Toni Atkins — so she is not exactly a political outsider. She also has powerful backers, including Atkins, Representative Scott Peters, Calif. State Treasurer Fiona Ma and Calif. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. It was clear she is running for the first time, but there is still a year to make corrections and gain momentum, especially as powerful Democrats continue to support her. In some areas, she fumbled her statements and spoke more about the problems people face than her solution to those issues. Her lack of in-depth policy proposals was concerning at some points, but one area where she stood out from the field was her holistic approach to police reform. She was the only candidate to discuss police, including marginalized communities losing trust in them, during her opening statement. In a question about San Diego Police Department’s secret use of cameras to surveil the populace, all of the candidates called for the surveillance to end. She went further than them and demonstrated her knowledge on the issue by calling for increased training and pay so SDPD officers will be the best in the region. If in later public forums she can match that insider knowledge of the issues with stronger solutions, her campaign will stand a better chance.
Standout quote: “We have an organizational and employee crisis in the city of San Diego. San Diego is historically a cheap city. We talk a big game but don’t want to pay for things. That has been the case forever and we need leaders who are gonna go up there and make the case that we need to invest in our community.” Interesting proposal: Cracking down on scooter companies so scooter companies will stop customers from leaving scooters on sidewalks, riding dangerously, etc. Kwiatkowski is a lobbyist who has successfully advocated taking power away from the City Council he is now running for through his support of a strong-mayor structure of government which gave the mayor a large degree of control and responsibility once held by the City Council. He also touted his experience pushing forward controversial but effective programs like clean needle exchanges. In a puzzling turn during the forum, he did not focus on his work at the Strong Mayor-Council Institute or on ending smoking on local beaches, but instead used situations in his more recent work as head of his neighborhood’s homeowner association (HOA) to illustrate his effectiveness as a leader. While an HOA can certainly be a microcosm of the politics of city hall, the constant allusion to what I can only guess is an inlet for the wealthier members of District 3 did little to make him seem relatable or even accessible to the everyday worries of the 150,000 people living in the growing district. Kwiatkowski was the most moderate of the candidates. He was the only one to withhold a full endorsement of a clean election ballot measure that would involve public funding of campaigns. Instead, he said his experience has taught him politicians will always find a way to game reforms. He did use examples to demonstrate his willingness to unswervingly ram controversial policies through. He spoke with derision of the many times housing projects are proposed in San Diego and then reduced in number of units by the time they are approved. While many candidates may endorse more progressive policies than Kwiatkowski, he could be the most capable of actually getting things done.
(Photo courtesy of Chris Olsen for City Council 2020)
Top issues: Making City Council proactive instead of reactive in its budget adds, homelessness, housing, climate action Standout quote: “I’m definitely running as a neighbor who wants to welcome more neighbors and that means definitely being pro-growth, but not progrowth just for the benefit and profit of developers. Pro-growth for our climate, for bringing people closer to where they live, to where they work, to shorten commute times, and for making sure people of all different income levels have access to different pricing options of new housing we’re putting online.”
(Photo courtesy Stephen Whitburn for San Diego City Council)
Top issues: Housing crisis, homelessness, hardworking people struggling to make ends meet Standout quote: “You know me. You’ve seen me advancing our values for many years and you can count on me to advance our progressive values on the San Diego City Council.” Interesting proposal: Whitburn supports adding affordable and middle-income housing but emphasized neighborhood input is needed to make sure new development is in line with the community.
Interesting proposal: Chris Olsen has worked for the city’s Independent Budget Analyst evaluating San Diego’s budget proposals each year. Rather than making him a fiscal conservative, this role convinced him San Diego needs to increase spending in order to proactively face the top issues the city is facing.
Whitburn is the director of the American Cancer
Olsen has a stunningly detailed knowledge of policy and it’s clear that policy is the driving force of his campaign. His biggest challenge at the debate was trying to fit in major proposals into a minute. Olsen did prove himself to be a likeable candidate as he shared stories about his personal life. In some cases, this did mean when he jumped into the solution for the issue, he used terms like ‘last-mile problem.’ Anyone with knowledge of public transit advocacy is familiar with this term, but the average Democrat may not be. Making his proposals accessible to everyone, not just the policy wonks, will likely be a continued concern during his City Council run.
Of all the candidates, he was the most polished and
He is also trying to overcome having less financial and formal support than some of his opponents with highlevels of community engagement. I have encountered all of the candidates at planning group meetings and Democratic party events. Olsen has attended the most of those meetings by far and has not just used his time to pitch his own campaign. Instead, he went to Uptown Planners to urge people to attend a budget town hall meeting and spoke in favor of the controversial move to add a protected bike lane on 30th Street at a heated North Park Planners meeting. Olsen did not receive the endorsement of the club but did show Whitburn will not have an easy race to the end.
Society in Southern California and a former top executive at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He has also done neighborhood advocacy on the North Park Planning Committee and is a longtime member of local Democratic groups. clear. He rambled less than Kwiatkowski, who often went overtime. Plus, he struck a middle ground between the empathy-first approach of Duran and the policy-heavy proposals of Olsen. He gave clear and concise endorsements of several policies, including the clean election ballot measures, ending police surveillance, and improved transit options. Whitburn focused on making his stance clear over explaining the details of his ideas. He may not have served in a high government office before, but with his personable approach to greeting each attendee of the meeting, it was obvious this is not his first campaign. In some ways, he has less experience in traditional government roles than his opponents. Still, his long list of endorsements show many party leaders believe he is qualified for the role after decades of community service and volunteering. While he made calls for bold, progressive leadership, his style made clear is he is the palatable and polished sort of candidate party officials expect to win with in the blue district. If District 3 turns out to be looking for fresher and unique campaigns, then he may be in trouble.
San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
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San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
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UPTOWN CALENDAR Friday, June 14 ‘Significant Other’ – As Jordan Berman pounds the New York City pavement searching for Mr. Right, he wards off lonely nights with his trio of close-knit girlfriends. As singles’ nights turn into bachelorette parties, Jordan must face his own capacity to love and be loved. This hilarious and heart-wrenching Broadway comedy dives into the trenches of urban single life and the aspirational gay wedding, reminding us that you can’t hurry love — no matter how much you wish you could. Diversionary Theatre. Runs through June 23. $15-$25. Dates and times vary. 4545 Park Blvd. #101. bit.ly/2EenrRf 2019 Rainbow Prom – An enchanting celebration awaits you: we invite you to your 2019 Rainbow Prom! The theme this year is “Haunted Fairytale” and all are welcome to come dressed as a spooky fairy tale creature/character. We are here to create an affirming and magical prom for LGBTQ+ youth. Youth ages 14-18 will enjoy this free event, which includes food, a DJ, a photo booth, a live drag performance by the fabulous Friidae, and much more! San Diego LGBT Community Center, 3909 Centre St. bit.ly/2XjJU6H Flow with Pride – Join San Diego Pride, The LGBT Center, and CorePower Yoga in a high energy Vinyasa Flow class for all levels. CorePower Yoga is partnering with San Diego Pride to give back to the community. With CorePower opening a new studio in Little Italy, we thought it would be best to give back, show our true colors, and encourage our friends and loved ones to move, connect, and give back as a family. The class will be lead by Juan Ayala, the Little Italy studio manager; assists and adjusters will be fellow instructors from CorePower. Prizes for donations will be raffled, including a free month of yoga, a yoga bag, a pair of tickets for Pride Festival, Sony speakers, and more to come! $15. 9 a.m. San Diego LGBT Community Center, 3909 Centre St. bit.ly/2Z5q0gx Mariam’s Tea Party: Broken Bolckbuster – Featuring: Mariam T, Glitz Glam, Evelyn Rose, Michele Ada, Disco Dollie, Lolita Von Tease,Vanity Jones and Gro Tesqua. Special performance The Diamond Dogs. Sounds by DJ Jon Williams. Tickets $10 • Doors open at 7 p.m. with the show starting at 8:30 p.m. Featuring Skrewball Whiskey. MO’s Bar and Grill. 308 University Ave. bit.ly/2KtEHFP
Saturday, June 15
Hillcrest Wind Ensemble Summer Concert Escape to the wonderful world of Disney when the Hillcrest Wind Ensemble presents, “The Black Hole, Music and the Mouse!” on Saturday, June 15, at the historic Mississippi Room in the Lafayette
Hotel, 2223 El Cajon Blvd. in North Park. Since Disney now owns so many franchises, this presents the opportunity to perform a huge variety of music. The program will include exciting music from “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” a comical piece from “The Muppets,” as well as many of the Disney classics and many more. Doors open at 6 p.m. with complimentary hors d'oeuvres and the concert starts at 7 p.m. No-host bars will be available throughout the evening and tickets for opportunity drawings will be sold for a chance to win some exciting prizes. The night is sure to bring out the kid in everyone! Tickets are $25 and available online at hwesd. brownpapertickets.com, and The Windsmith, 3875 Granada Ave. in North Park, or at the door.
Sunday, June 16
Father’s Day Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant, located at 2202 Fourth Ave., will celebrate dads with a steak dinner and wine pairing. Chef de Cuisine Jason Gethin will prepare a 10-ounce New York steak and seasonal vegetables for the occasion, paired with a glass of Chappellet Mountain Cuvee, priced at $40. Bankers Hill’s full dinner, cocktail menu and extensive wine list will also be available to celebrate the holiday. Reservations are available by calling 619-231-0222. More information, including the full menu, may be found online at bankershill.com.
comedy, whose heroine is one of his most remarkable creations, for the Summer Shakespeare Festival at The Old Globe. Opening night is June 22 at 8 p.m. and shows will run through July 21. Tickets start at $30. Family Overnight aboard Star of India Maritime Museum of San Diego, home to one of the world’s largest collections of historic vessels from sail to steam to submarine, will host the annual Family Overnight Saturday, June 22 from 2:30 p.m. to Sunday, June 23 at 9 a.m. aboard the 1863 barque Star of India, the oldest active sailing ship in the world. Guests will embark on an imaginary voyage to relive the lives and times of the emigrant passengers in The Great Age of Sail. Instructors will be in character and in costume, teaching various activities such as moving cargo and raising sails. Accommodations aboard Star of India are 19th century and likened to a camping trip. Held dockside at the Maritime Museum, guests of the overnight adventure will see areas of the ship normally closed to the public and sleep on her “tween decks” out of the elements. Tickets are $75 per participant age 5 and up and include meals and accommodations. Space is limited. Adults must accompany youth under 18. For reservations and more information, guests can visit sdmaritime.org or call 619-2349153 ext. 122.
Sunday, June 23
Thursday, June 20 Orange Bikeway Open House and Public Hearing The open house and public hearing marks an important step for the Orange Bikeway project. SANDAG, as the lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), will hold a public hearing to hear comments on the proposed project. During the open house portion of the meeting, attendees will have the opportunity to talk with project team members and provide feedback. The SANDAG Transportation Committee is anticipated to consider whether the proposed project is exempt from CEQA at its July 19 meeting. Comments collected at the public hearing and open house and written responses to those comments will be provided to the Transportation Committee for consideration before its July 19 meeting. Food, beverages and bike valet provided. Open house at 6 p.m., public hearing at 6:45-8 p.m. at Euclid Elementary School, 4166 Euclid Ave.
Saturday, June 22 Summer Shakespeare Festival Jessica Stone will direct “As You Like It,” the Bard’s fabulously charming romantic
Cici’s Last Stand Hillcrest resident, artist, musician and child abuse prevention advocate Cici (Porter) Artemisia, of legendary San Diego Bordertown, is releasing her new album, “The Lucky One,” just before she leaves San Diego after 35 years. This is a going-away party for Cici, a celebration of “The Lucky One” CD, a video shoot for the title track, and a pop-up art sale. Cici wants to leave some of her highly coveted, brightly colored, earth-loving, nature-inspired paintings behind. There will be plenty of music with an intimate, mostly-solo concert, peppered with guest appearances by Jeff Berkley, David Beldock, The Lunch Ladies, and more. Everyone will have a chance to be in “The Lucky One” video, from solo appearances to a flash mob dance scene. There will be food trucks, a no-host bar, public mural painting, and keeping with “The Lucky One” theme, poker, horseshoes, fortune-telling, lucky prize bonanzas, and Lord knows what else! Located at 450 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, 92024, the Heritage Ranch from 4-8 p.m. $30 in advance or $35 at the door and includes a “The Lucky One” CD or download. They can be purchased at
ciciart.com.
Diego Pride LGBT+ youth arts programs. Shows on Friday, June 28; Saturday, June 29; and Sunday, June 30, all begin at 7:30 p.m. at Finest City Improv, 4250 Louisiana St.
Saturday, June 29
Scoop San Diego Summer is coming, and so is San Diego’s first ice-cream festival! Scoop San Diego will bring the tastiest ice cream and gelato from shops all over San Diego to the heart of North Park on Sunday, June 23. Proceeds from the festival will benefit Monarch School, supporting homeless children in San Diego with educational needs. The Scoop San Diego festival will be open 11 a.m.-4 p.m., June 23, at North Park Way and 30th Street. Tickets are now on sale at scoopsandiego.org. Single tickets, which entitle guests to 10 delicious samples, are $20. “Shareable” tickets, which entitle guests to a sample from each participating vendor, are $35.
Tuesday June 25 Uptown Democratic Club Uptown Democratic Club meets June 25 at Joyce Beers Community Center, 3900 Vermont Ave. Social 6:30 p.m. Program 7 p.m. Our guest speaker will be the newly elected San Diego County Chairperson, Will Rodriguez-Kennedy. We will be hearing about how the county and state parties work, what an ADEM and CADEM is, and all about the upcoming county races in 2020 and more! Open to the public.
Friday, June 28 Impride: An Improv Comedy Festival with Pride The festival features three days of LGBTQ+ related improv comedy teams, featured shows, workshops, yoga classes, and parties. Finest City Improv, and the improv community in general, has offered a welcoming and safe environment for the LGBTQ+ community and this festival celebrates that shared pride! Tickets are $15 and proceeds go to San
City Heights Business Expo The City Heights Community Development Corp. (CDC) will hosts its first-ever City Heights Business Expo on Saturday, June 29, to highlight small businesses and micro-enterprises that have received technical and financial assistance from local nonprofits in order to start up, grow and thrive in this unique Mid-City neighborhood. Aspiring entrepreneurs will be given free community resources and technical support. 4-8 p.m. at Fair@44, 4350 El Cajon Blvd.
Sunday, June 30 Taste of Adams Avenue The 19th annual Taste of Adams Avenue will take place from 11a.m.-3 p.m., along Adams Avenue, from University Heights through Normal Heights to Kensington. This year’s taste will feature 48 Adams Avenue restaurants, coffee houses, breweries, wine bars, and exceptional eateries in one of San Diego’s most prominent neighborhoods. Taste of Adams Avenue tickets are $35 in advance, and $40 day of the event. Advance tickets may be purchased online at tasteofadams.com
RECURRING EVENTS Mondays Lestat’s West Open Mic Weekly open mic event hosted by Robby Robertson every Monday, 6:30-11 p.m. at Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave. bit.ly/LestatsWest
Tuesdays Introduction to Buddhism & Meditation Join an all-ages introductory class to learn the basic Buddhist concepts as well as participate in a discussion and silent meditation. Weekly event led by Jeff Zlotnik. Free. 7-8 p.m. at Dharma Bum Temple 4144 Campus Ave. Also held on Saturdays at 11 a.m.-noon bit.ly/dharmabum
Thursdays North Park Thursday Market Shop at more than 90 tents for locally grown produce,
seasonal grocery items, fresh food and hand-crafted arts and crafts. 3-7:30 p.m. at 3000 North Park Way, stretching from 31st to Utah streets in North Park. bit.ly/ThursMarket Thursdays at the Ken San Diego’s late-night jazz jam convenes every Thursday night at the Kensington Club. Hosted by musicians Ian Buss, Robert Dove and Hugo Suarez. $5. 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. 4079 Adams Ave. bit.ly/ThursKen
Fridays Family Friday Nights at the Fleet Enjoy ex tended evening hours at the Fleet on Friday nights this summer and save! Peruse Pause|Play late into the evening, light up the night at It’s Electric and reconnect with all your favorite handson exhibits in Retro-Active Science. Friday nights will also feature live musical entertainment on the Fleet patio. Family Friday Nights are from May 31 through Aug. 30, with discounted admission starting at 6 p.m. This event is part of “The Art of Summer,” Balboa Park’s summer celebration. Free Friend Friday Looking for a co-working space with value-aligned social entrepreneurs, artists, nonprofit professionals and local startups? Collective Impact Center offers a complimentary day pass to use shared desks and office space. Bring your laptop and check in on social media with #cicfreefriendfriday for free Wi-Fi. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Collective Impact Center, 3295 Meade Ave. bit.ly/free-Fridays
Saturdays Old Town Saturday Market This street market features original works from local artists including paintings, jewelry, photography and more. Every Saturday and Sunday. 9 a.m.4:30 p.m. at Harney Street and San Diego Avenue in Old Town. bit.ly/OTMarket
Sundays Hillcrest Farmers Market About 175 venders offer a variety of locally grown produce, hand-made arts and crafts, and fresh-cut florals at one of the city’s largest open-air markets. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Normal Street between University and Lincoln avenues. bit.ly/HillcrestMarket v
Brightside Barber opens A new barber shop in Hillcrest is trying to blend the best of classic hair care experience with the convenience of modern technology. Co-owners Landon Strauss and Chris Hjerling got their start in the restaurant industry but decided to open Brightside Barber because of their own woes trying to get a haircut. They said their trick is not trying too
hard to be trendy. “We found there was a need for a general, simple, casual barber shop that also offered modern technology along with some of the classic experience,” Hjerling said. Alongside a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, they offer online booking and text message reminders. The pair plans to make
Brightside Barber a chain by opening more storefronts in high-density areas with free parking where people live, work, play, and get their hair cut. Soft opening hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.6 p.m. 619-340-1900. The HUB Center, 1050 University Avenue #E101. BrightsideBarber.com.v
PUZZLES / CALENDAR / NEWS
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SCOOP
The students of Monarch have been learning to make their own ice cream and will serve their own flavor at the festival. More than 10 businesses other than ice cream and gelato shops are also participating. “I decided to invite them because some of them are either associated with the ice-cream shops, [selling] their products at the shops,” he explained. “Some are nonprofit organizations that I’m friends with the CEOs of, local businesses near my house here in North Park.” Jason Gould of 30th Street’s Visual art gallery began painting
Puzzle answers on page 18
Uptown Crossword
Puzzle answers on page 18
Classics
Scoop San Diego’s selfie wall during the North Park Festival of Arts last month. Other work from the gallery will be showcased at the festival. These sorts of collaborative efforts are the exact type of relationships Szpak hopes will come from the festival, just as its dessert often brings friends and family together for social gatherings. “This is our first year in San Diego, so we want to participate and become a true part of the community, said David Aguilera, a managing partner of An’s Dry Cleaning gelato shop on Adams Avenue. “We want to create a culture. We all have to support each other.” An’s Dry Cleaning — which takes its name from the previous
San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
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owner of its building — will debut a new flavor at Scoop San Diego and be providing trivia about the differences between gelato and ice cream, as well as the history of the two cold desserts. More than 2,500 locals are expected to visit the festival. Tickets can be purchased at ScoopSanDiego.org. A single ticket will enable patrons to sample 10 different scoops of ice cream for $20. A sharable pass can be purchased for $35 and allows access to a sample from all vendors at the festival. — Jorden P. Hales is a multimedia journalist based in Southern California. Follow him on twitter: @JayPGatsby.v
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San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
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LIBRARY in poorer areas like City Heights or in undeveloped, rural parts of the county. However, under the mayor’s plan, each council district would need to build 140 units of PSH to spread the burden equally. Many also spoke in support of small businesses using the space. In his January memo to the mayor, Ward already requested the first floor be commercial and reiterated that statement in the meeting. “All of this is not necessarily mutually exclusive. We can actually have an integrated project that does something even better for multiple purposes,” Ward said. While responses covered the entire spectrum, even those who came to support the proposal raised questions about how it would be implemented in the affluent enclave.
San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
NEWS
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Council member Chris Ward is behind a recent push to add permanent supportive housing to address San Diego’s homelessness crisis. (Photos by Helen Rowe Allen)
Some Mission Hills residents were concerned about who would
be allowed to live there. Russell assured them that sex offenders do not qualify to be in PSH and although residents can be enrolled in drug rehab programs, if they are caught with drugs or breaking any other rules, they will be kicked out of the residence. PSH can sometimes be for particular populations, like veterans or seniors, but there is nothing public yet on who would qualify to live in the proposed Mission Hills housing. PSH is always for particularly vulnerable populations like people who are disabled, mentally ill or suffering from drug addiction who have been homeless for more than one year or have faced repeated periods of homelessness. PSH is part of a housing-first approach that evidence has shown ends homelessness for individuals hardest to serve and also decreases public costs. In an email to constituents, Ward promised to ask the mayor that information on the proposed
population be shared with the community. He also said he would share the community desire for city staff to evaluate the potential sale of the property and use of funds to build more PSH in another location as well as the possibility of city staff to work with adjacent property owners to potentially combine parcels for enhanced development. When Uptown News reached out to the mayor’s office last week, Ward had yet to brief Faulconer on the community input. Faulconer’s Senior Director of Communications Craig Gustafson confirmed a request for proposals (RFP) will be issued this month for at least five of the eight proposed sites and another RFP will be issued later. “The choice is simple: We either help people find a place to sleep inside or we condemn them to sleeping outside. Homelessness affects every community, which is why Mayor Faulconer is working with council members to add
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nearly 200 permanent supportive housing units across the city,” Gustafson said in a statement. Any winning proposal would be presented to the City Council and require approval before heading to the mayor’s desk. The plan still faces other avenues of opposition. Mission Hills Heritage is applying for the library to receive local historical designation because the library is the only midcentury modern building remaining in the core business district of Mission Hills. Local firm Legacy 106, Inc. is helping the group with that nomination. The Town Council also held another meeting about the library on June 13. The Town Council joined Mission Hills Heritage and Mission Hills Business Improvement District in calling on the city to preserve the building and repurpose it. —Kendra Sitton can be reached at kendra@sdnews.com.v
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San Diego Uptown News June 14-27, 2019
sdnews.com